Day 2 of Jazz Fest was another beautiful day in New Orleans with plenty of amazing artists to hear throughout the day. Thousands of people gathered to see artists of all genres perform on 14 different stages. The big headliners of the day were country singer Kacey Musgraves, rock band Cheap Trick, and R&B/Soul artist Gladys Knight.
One of our new 2025 music discoveries, The Crowe Boys brought some alternative folk music to the Festival Stage early in the day. The group contains brothers Ocie, Jacob, and Wes Crowe who grew up right in New Orleans. The brothers drew in a considerable crowd as they strummed away on their guitars while audience members sang along. Their debut album Made to Wander will be coming out on June 6.
On the Fais Do-Do stage, Creole Zydeco accordion player and singer Rosie Ledet took over, a veteran to the cultural festival. Ledet grew up in Church Point, a town in Acadia Parish and has become one of the few females to join the mostly male dominated Zydeco scene. Her songs are sexy and suggestive, earning her the name “The Zydeco Sweetheart.” She’s often touring with her band, the Zydeco Playboys.
The eclectic Honey Island Swamp Band are a recurring member of the Jazz Fest lineup. They have five award winning albums that defy any genre labels. The men doubled their usual lineup by adding three horn players and two percussionists, adding more musical depth to their performance than ever before. For their final song “Good to You,” the band stretched it to a rhythm filled ten minutes featuring horn, guitar, and vibraphone solos.
Over in the Blues Tent, Johnny Sansone, also known as Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone, has honed in on his multi-instrumental talents as an electric blues singer since his career began in the 80’s. At 67 years old, he still has all the energy and soul to put on a great show. Sansone teased a surprise guest on his social media prior to the show who ended up being the New Orleans Mooncat Jason Ricci.
Just before 3 PM, Mexican band Mixanteña de Santa Cecilia rumbled the Jazz & Heritage Stage with their upbeat sounds. This traditional band was formed in Mexico City in 2010 and is featured this year as part of the cultural focus on Mexico. Their music features sounds from the Guerrero and the Oaxaca coast. The fast-paced and upbeat music is dominated by horns and drums and typically accompanies celebrations, feasts, and other Mexican get-togethers.
Accordion player and vocalist Dwayne Dopsie took to the Gentilly Stage with his band the Zydeco Hellraisers. This Lafayette native brought a significant crowd to the stage, even going into the audience and encouraging everyone to “throw your hands up” as everyone waved their arms in the air. The band has been playing at Jazz Fest for 26 years in a row now and has proved to be a favorite and a party-starter on the Festival grounds.
Youssou N’Dour, one of Senegal’s biggest singer-songwriters, performed on the Congo Square Stage to a jammed packed crowd. His vocals and the band’s unique rhythms were different than usual NOLA sounds, but the audience felt the infectious energy and were able to vibe along to the rumba tunes. He often sings in multiple languages including French, English, and his native language Wolof. Earlier this month, N’Dour released a new album Eclairer le Monde – Light the World.
In the midst of a US tour for his new The Parish Record, New Orleans native Andrew Duhon got to return home for the weekend for a performance on the Fais Do-Do Stage. His dreamy blend of folk and blues drew in listeners as they were pulled into the story of compelling personal feats and emotional journeys delivered through Duhon’s lyrics.
Latin GRAMMY nominee El Dusty & The Homies showed the Rhythmpourium Tent the basics of cumbia and Southern hip-hop traditions. The group played some electro bass heavy beats supplemented by live percussionists on the congo drums. The crowd in the tent couldn’t help but move to the compelling beats, creating a chain reaction of dancing among the festival goers. It was one of our favorite sets of the whole weekend.
Around 4:15, Leo Nocentelli of The Meters brought his funk to the crowd in an all green outfit. Nocentelli is best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of the funk band the Meters. For “Say Na Hey,” Nocentelli was joined by Big Chief Donald Harrison & The Wild Tchoupitoulas as well as Margie Perez, Jason Neville, and Elise Testone. The groups all sang together and got the crowd going.
On the Congo Square Stage, five-time GRAMMY winning soul singer and Maroon 5 keyboardist PJ Morton showed his love for his hometown of New Orleans. Morton’s clean vocals pierced through the air with incredible talent as he thumbed away on the piano in a white t-shirt and orange beanie. He kept his set chill and down-to-earth, opening with his song “Smoke and Mirrors,” and of course performing “New Orleans Girl.”
Lila Downs, a Mexican singer honored African, Mexican, and Native American heritage with her songs of many languages. Her set opened with “Son del Chile Frito,” jumping right into high energy horns and drums. Her pink top and flower decorated microphone stand brought a pop of much needed color onto the Fais Do-Do Stage.
At 6 PM, the GRAMMY winners Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. and The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band closed out the day on the Fais Do-Do Stage. Son of famed accordionist and vocalist Buckwheat Zydeco continues in his fathers footsteps in their Creole dance band. As the accordion and the washboard echoed into the evening, guests danced in the crowd as the day came to a happy end.
Gladys Knight was all smiles in a royal blue pantsuit as she came out onto the stage. The 80-year olds’ seven-decade career defined an era of R&B and soul. She happily sang hits like “Midnight Train To Georgia,” “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” Knight appeared to get emotional between songs as the crowd screamed for her and applauded her amazing work.
Closing the Gentilly Stage was Cheap Trick, an Illinois based rock band that gained popularity in the 70’s and 80’s. The band consists of lead vocalist Robin Zander, bassist Tom Petersson, lead guitarist Nick Neilsen, and drummer Daxx Neilsen. They opened with “Ello Kiddies” and transitioned to “Hot Love.” The second half of the show began with their popular Fats Domino cover “Ain’t That a Shame” and led into their greatest hits including “The Flame,” “I Want You To Want Me,” and “Dream Police.”
On the main Festival Stage, country artist Kacey Musgraves returns to Jazz Fest wearing a brown halter top and matching bedazzled bell bottoms. The stage behind her was covered in greenery, fitting the aesthetic for her 2024 album Deeper Well. Her set spanned 18 songs that covered content from four of her albums including a Brooks & Dunn cover of “Neon Moon.” Her crystal clear vocals were accompanied by her flawless guitar playing bringing a close to Day 2.
Check back with us soon for our look back at Day 3 at Jazz Fest!